Huge upsets lit up the basketball World Cup on Wednesday night as France beat hosts Spain 65-52 while Serbia thumped Brazil 84-56 to set up an intriguing semi-final clash.

Holders the United States and Lithuania were to meet in the first semi in Barcelona yesterday while the Serbs and the French will lock horns in Madrid today.

Fancied to stroll into an anticipated title bout with the Americans, the Spaniards were stunned by a French side missing several top players including four-time NBA champion Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs.

Defying a deafening roar from the passionate home fans, France led from start to finish in a physical encounter which threatened to boil over in the third quarter when a scuffle broke out among rival players on the court.

The French pulled away in a tense finish as forward Boris Diaw led the charge with 15 points and five rebounds.

A resurgent Serbia, who squeezed through the preliminary group stage, produced a second successive upset in the knock-out rounds and brushed aside the Brazilians after they eliminated Greece in the round of 16.

Led by majestic playmaker Milos Teodosic, the game’s top scorer with 23 points and four assists, the Serbs never looked back after they engineered a 21-2 run late in the first half and early in the second.

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